Cultural Event #1: Witnessing the Indian dance form of Kathak
On Wednesday, September 16, 2015, I attended the Upaj: Improvise special event at the University of Hawaii at Hilo Performing Arts Center. At this event I was able to learn about the Indian dance form of Kathak. Ms. Antara Bhardwaj is the producer of Upaj: Improvise. She was a student of the late Kathak master, Pandit Chitresh Das, a main character in the Upaj: Improvise film. Ms. Bhardwaj is also a solo Kathak artist and a member of the internationally recognized Chitresh Das Dance Company located in California. This special event was broken up into a Kathak performance, a showing of the film, and a Q&A session with Ms. Antara Bhardwaj. I attended this event not knowing what to expect and I came out very impressed by this Indian form of dance.
If the word Kathak was broken down to Katha it means “the art of story-telling”. The art of story-telling can be similar to many different cultures and dance forms. Ms. Bhardwaj said that the Kathak story and dance can go on for many hours. That means the dancer needs to have great stamina. Kathak dancers that were well trained could use it as a profession. In the past there was a community of artists called the Kathakas. They would narrate history and mythology while entertaining. A huge part of the entertainment process in Kathak is the power of the energy triangle. The three points of the triangle represent 1.) the dancer or narrator, 2.) the live band, and 3.) the audience. As in many dance forms the dancer is able to feed and perform well off the energy given by the audience.
I was very entertained as Ms. Bhardwaj performed a Kathak solo before showing the film, Upaj: Improvise. For her solo she wore a bright and shiny light blue costume. Her outfit covered her legs and arms; it was very modest. The medium length Kathak circle skirt she wore really added a great touch to the style of dance because it was able to flare out when she turned and spun in circles. Her hair was pulled up into a long braid and her finger nails were painted bright red. Her fingernails really amplified the beauty of her handwork. Another distinguishing aspect of her costume were the three pound bells that were wrapped around both of her ankles. In many Indian dances a lot of emphasis is put on the movement of the eyes, the palms of the hands, and the feet. Although there are many beautiful qualities that make a great kathak dancer, the ankle bells help to draw attention to the beautiful foot work of the dancer. I have noticed that the bells are an essential part of most of the Indian dances. In all, every part of Ms. Antara Bhardwaj’s appearance was captivating before she even started to dance.
To me, her solo piece communicated life and how it related to a god of a particular village. I cannot exactly remember the god her solo dance was devoted to, but Ganesha is a popular god Kathak dances are dedicated to. Ganesha is the Hindu god of beginning and good fortune. A Vandana or a prayer, is used to honor a particular Hindu god and it is used for a significantly long period of the dance. My favorite part of Ms. Bhardwaj’s dance was when she spin in many circles because I really admired her foot work in the turns. It was like watching a cultural version of Happy Feet, the movie with the tap dancing penguins. Before she began to dance she said that her feet would be moving about ten slaps per second. That means in just one minute her feet will slap the ground about 600 times. Her solo performance lasted for about fifteen minutes so that means her foot must have slapped the ground roughly 9,000 times!
After leaving this event I was very interested to learn more about Kathak, so I did some research. According to the Chitresh Das Dance Company website, other elements of a Kathak story are Tayari (readiness), Layakari (understanding), Khubsurti & Nazakat (beauty & delicacy), Nritta (pure dance & technique), Nritya (dance, rhythm & expression), and Natya (drama). Tayari is the expertise of technique acquired through systematic training and practice. Layakari is the great versatility and understanding of timing and rhythm. Khubsurti & Nazakat are the principles of the art form and are in regards to the quality of beauty, expression and emotion in a dancer. Nritta is the movement exercised in basic footwork which is known as tatkar, and turns known as chakkars. This is also the part that puts emphasis on rhythmic patterns and accurate timing. Nritya is in regards to the interpretive gestures, expressions, and synthesis of movement to traditional songs and poems. Natya is the art of story-telling. In the story-telling there are nine sentiments that work with masculine and feminine energies also known as ardhanariswara-shiva and ardhanariswara-shakti.
Although, I have previously explained how beautiful Ms. Antara Bhardwaj was as a dancer, men were the original Kathak dancers. Indian Kathak dance culture is similar to Hawaiian and Tahitian culture, where men were the primary dancers before women became dancers too. This next part of my reflection paper will work with the male energy of the Kathak dance. The film Upaj: Improvise, follows a collaboration of two men working together in the style of Kathak and tap dancing. Ms. Bhardwaj’s teacher, Pandit Chitresh Das and tap dancing star Jason Samuels Smith embark on a journey throughout India showing the public that although the two dances are different, they have similar emphasis on the feet when dancing. The combination of the two dances created a perfect match between old and new styles. Their performances during the movie made me feel excited.
It is a personal favorite of mine to see two dances combined. I like the idea of taking an ancient cultural dance and modernizing it. I feel it will help to relate to people of this day in age. In the movie Pandit Chitresh Das says he was worried about the reaction from the young college students when he performed Kathak. He said that to the young Indians of this generation, they thought Kathak was boring and slow. I think the tap dancing combined with Kathak helped the young students see that an older traditional dance has common footwork with the newer westernized idea of tap dancing and that they are both very entertaining.
Kathak dancing has cultural value and it can relate to other cultures that emphasize the footwork while dancing. Kathak also seems like it would be a hard dance for me to learn because my grasp on foot work while dancing is a bit slow. Although Kathak is an ancient dance I am glad people like Ms. Bhardwaj keep the stories and dance form alive. I am also happy that I attended her solo dance and presentation of the film because I learned about a different style of dance that is not really seen here in Hawaii.
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Cultural Event #2: Volunteering at the UH-Hilo International Nights
On Friday, February 19 and Saturday, February 20 I volunteered at International Nights. This was my third year being able to watch the show. This year I took careful consideration to not only watch the show, but analyze and listen carefully to the cultural introductions of each group. At this year’s event there were groups representing Japan, Okinawa, Pohnpei, France, Burma, Ireland, Philippines, Eastern Europe, Samoa, Kiribati, Kosrae, Palau, Yap, the USA, Chuuk, and the Marshall Islands. It was nice to see the wide variety of nationalities and ethnicities that make up our Hilo community.
Although all of the groups had an important message to teach the audience about their culture, I would like to draw special attention to the three groups that were from Japan and the one group that was from Okinawa, Japan. I would like to focus on Japan because they had the most groups perform in International Nights. Although there is a lot Japanese influence in Hawaii, I was still able to learn new things at International Nights I never knew before.
The first Japanese group that went was the Taishoji Taiko group. In their introduction, they mentioned Taiko is the Japanese word for big drum. I had always heard of Taiko, but only now I learned it’s literally the word for big drum. The musical art of Taiko originated in Japan thousands of years ago and it was used for various occasions, ranging from wars to festivals. Today Taiko is performed all over the world in the United States, Canada, Germany, Brazil, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The second group from Okinawa stated that their home island is located just south of mainland Japan. This Okinawan group performed two dances called Kumi Odori and Eisa. These two dance forms are the popular traditional dances of Okinawa. Kumi Odori is a narrative form of traditional ensemble dance. Eisa is a folk/bon dance that is performed by young people of various communities to honor the spirits of their ancestors. Eisa and Kumi Odori are seen as vital parts of Okinawan culture.
The third group from Japan was portraying a J-Pop band. I’m not the biggest fan of J-pop, but it is interesting to see how one country’s pop culture influences another. J-Pop originated from the influence of American and British rock bands; one being the Beatles. J-pop has gained the most popularity in Tokyo. Western society in general has had great influence on other aspects of Japan such as food, lifestyle, and clothing. Other pop cultures in Japan are Harajuku fashion, manga, and animation.
The last group that performed for Japan was the Japanese Student Association. They performed a modern dance known as Yosakoi. Yosakoi was first made to give hope for the people during the post-ward reconstruction. While performing, the Japanese Student Association Yosakoi dancers used an item called Naruko. Naruko is a small musical instrument that makes a clapping noise. Many universities in Japan have a Yosakoi dance team.
As a person of half Japanese-Okinawan ancestry, I feel I do not know enough about my own culture. It was nice to learn more about the different traditional dances of Japan and their pop culture. In the future I would like to take Taiko lessons because it looks like good exercise and it would help me get even closer to my Japanese culture.
Kirstie volunteering at International Nights.
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Cultural Event #3: International Student Buddy
One of the greatest programs I have been able to participate in at UH-Hilo is the International Student Buddy program. During my sophomore year (2012-2013) at UH-Hilo, I participated in the International Student Buddy program led by my study abroad advisor, Jaymen Laupola. During this program I had an exchange student buddy from South Korea, Soo-Min Chung and another buddy from Japan, Kana Fujiwara. After that year was over I was also able to visit Soo-Min in South Korea while I studied abroad at Chung-Ang University and I have also been able stay friends with Kana throughout our time here at UH-Hilo.
Since I had such a great time participating in the International Student Buddy program a few years ago, I decided to participate in the program again this year (2015-2016). This year my international student buddy is Yoshito Tamaki from Okinawa, Japan. I have learned many things about Okinawa from Yoshi. I have learned that Japan is a cash country, so many stores or restaurants you go to will expect you to pay in cash and may not accept credit or debt cards. That’s good for me to know because I don’t like to carry cash. Another thing I learned from Yoshi is a common thing Japanese people say before eating, “itadakimasu”. This word means I receive this food in a very polite way. This word came up because when I hang out with Yoshi we usually eat at different restaurants in Hilo. I’m glad he enjoys our Local Moco’s that are very popular here in Hawaii. Another thing Yoshi has taught me is that the largest US military base in Japan is located in Okinawa. I asked him how he felt about it and he said it is okay because seeing all the Americans encouraged him to want to learn English fluently. He also said the military base to good because some of his relatives were able to find work on the military base.
I really like the cultural exchange that happens from being introduced as buddies in this program. One activity I was able to participate in with Yoshi was the whale watching trip sponsored by the Outdoor Edventures program at the Student Life Center. Although Yoshi and I only saw two whales, being able to see the Hilo coast from the ocean was beautiful. The boat ride was very enjoyable and I wouldn’t have gone on the trip if Yoshi hadn’t suggested it. Last semester I also suggested to Yoshi that he should take a class called Hawaiian Ohana because I thought it would be a great way for him to learn and feel more connected to Hawaii. Although he seemed skeptical about taking it, I was surprised and happy to learn he did take the class this semester. I suggested he should take a Hawaiian class because when I was studying in Scotland I made the mistake of not taking a Scottish history course. For me I learned from that experience and would suggest to anyone going on a study abroad program that they should take a class that will connected them and help them learn about the culture or history of the foreign place they are studying in. Another very recent event I took Yoshi to was the Hoike Night of Merrie Monarch. Yoshi and I were able to not only learn more about Hawaiian culture, but about other cultures and nationalities that were represented that night. There were performances by a Hilo halau, a dance group from Taiwan, a Tahitian dance group from California, and a group from New Zealand. Yoshi and I were both able to learn most from the Maori group because incorporated into their performance were various lessons. They taught us about the different implements they used such as the poi (spinning ball on a string) and the warrior spears. These implements were used to mostly strengthen their wrists for battle. They also taught the audience how to do the haka. Although I have seen Maori people perform before, I was able to learn more this time around. It was also a very neat experience to be by someone who has never seen this time of dance before. During the Haka, the dancers go in to pukana with kind of looks like they are possessed. The eyes are big and the dancers stick their tongue out. Seeing Yoshi’s reaction to this dance was priceless. I’m pretty sure he wanted to get up and pukana and do the haka with the performers.
Overall, I’m very happy to have participated in the International Student Buddy program. This was a great opportunity for me to learn from Yoshi and for Yoshi to learn from me. This summer Yoshi is planning to visit Oahu, my home island. In the future I am planning to visit Okinawa with my mom. My mom is full Okinawan and has always wanted to go visit the country of her ethnicity. She was very happy that I made an Okinawan friend who we can visit when we travel to Okinawa. I look forward to being life-long friends with Yoshi and it is all thanks to the International Student buddy program.
Below are a few pictures of me and my International Student Buddy, Yoshi:
Picture to the left: Yoshi and I on our Whale Watching adventure.
Picture above: My roommate Megan, Yoshi and I attending Hoike Night for Merrie Monarch.
Picture below: Taiwanese dance group performance on Hoike Night.
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Cultural Event #4: International Women's Day
On March 8th, I attended the International Women’s Day movie event sponsored by the University of Hawaii at Hilo Women’s Center. This event started with a quick history of International Women’s Day by Lehua McClung, followed by the film: Girl Rising, and then concluded with a film discussion led by Professor Misty Pacheco.
International Women’s Day is a global celebration of the economic, social, cultural, and political achievements of women. Although the United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day officially on the March 8th during International Women’s Year in 1975, other types of women’s day events were first celebrated in the United States, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and Russia decades before. To be honest, I only knew there was an International Women’s Day since last year and I definitely think that is a problem. I hope International Women’s Day gains more recognition in primary schools so that young students learn more about the bravery of women around the world.
Although this day celebrates the accomplishments of women, this day also recognizes that there are a lot of improvements that need to be made in the lives of women and young girls. The film: Girl Rising, shows us some of the struggles women and young girls are facing all over the world. Girl Rising follows the stories of girls from Cambodia, Haiti, Nepal, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Peru, Sierra Leone, and Afghanistan. Their stories deal with poverty, inability to access education, family relationships, child-marriages, and sexual abuse. In the section below I will share some very surprising statistics that I learned from Girl Rising.
According to the Education First Initiative of the United Nation Secretary General, “There are 32 million fewer girls than boys in primary school”. It is amazing how our society can seem to have made a lot of progress with equality in education, yet there are still millions of girls around the world who are unable to go to school. According to the EFA Global Monitoring Report, “10% fewer girls under the age of 17 would become pregnant in Sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia if they had a primary education”. Women who are educated will have knowledge of their rights and will be able to overcome discrimination. According to EFA Global Monitoring Report, “If all girls had a secondary education, there would be two-thirds fewer child marriages”. The concept of child marriages is usually very cultural, but in today’s society girls should be able to be more in control of their life. If we limit a girls opportunities in life, society loses out. In this day in age it is also time to end the discrimination and violation of the female body. According to the UNIFEM, “In a single year, an estimated 159 million girls were victims of sexual violence” and according to UNFPA, “50% of sexual assaults in the world victimize girls under the age of 15”. All of these statistics are not pleasant to realize, but it helps me put the world view of women in perspective. Girl Rising helps to educate people on this issue and hopefully our society will make these statistics change for the better in the years to come
Upon completion of the film, a discussion was led by Misty Pacheco, a returned peace core volunteer and University of Hawaii at Hilo professor. Mid-way through the discussion she asked, “Was there any one story that resonated with you the most?” At the time, all the stories resonated with me in different ways. It was hard to say one story was more important to me than another because it was important to recognize that all women who shared their stories were brave. Another thing I know for sure is that I am lucky to be a female that has grown up in a society and family that has treated me well. I have had access to education throughout my life and an endless amount of support from my family. For those of us who are lucky enough to live in America, we need to do something to positively impact the lives of women around the world. We can start by making sure women in our own community have the same opportunities as men. As a female, I will continue to strive to reach my goal of obtaining a graduate degree with the hope that more women and young girls will be able to reach their highest educational potential as well.
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Cultural Event #5: 22nd Honolulu Festival
From March 11 to March 13, I was able to attend the 22nd annual Honolulu Festival on Oahu. Although I was sent to this event to mainly promote the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, I came back to Hilo surprised with all that new cultural insights I had gained. The sub-theme for this year’s Honolulu Festival was: “Cultural Harmony, Journey to Peace”. According to their website, “the Honolulu Festival is a premier cultural event, promoting understanding, economic cooperation and ethnic harmony between the people of Hawaii and the Pacific Rim region. Each year, the festival draws thousands of new and returning spectators who are looking for an experience beyond Hawaii”. The festival showcased dance performances and traditional art demonstrations from Japan, Okinawa, Australia, Tahiti, Italy, Philippines, Taiwan, Korea, and Hawaii. This festival easily became a dream place for me to be because I loved seeing all the different cultures represented in a single area. Two groups that stood out to me the most were the Italians and the Koreans from Jeju Island.
Although there were many cultures represented at the festival, I was most intrigued by the Italian group. To be honest, I did not expect to see a group from Italy at this festival because I had initially heard this festival was geared toward the Japanese. There were dozens of performance groups from Japan and other places in Asia, so of course the one European group stood out to me. The group from Italy was called, The Flag Wavers from Faenza. The Flag Wavers from Faenza performed in medieval uniforms adorned with the colors of the five groups of flag-wavers of Faenza: white, yellow, black, red and green. The flag bearers and musicians of Faenza are among the most talented in Italy. This group has performed in many countries including Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Slovenia, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Chile, Finland, the Easter Islands and the USA. I have never seen a group from Italy perform anything so it was interesting to learn a bit about this popular medieval Italian performing art and game. I was able to meet some of the performers from Italy, but I was not able to verbally communicate with them at all. They only spoke Italian. When I went home I took it upon myself to understand this art of flag dancing that they were showing. Although color guard and flag twirling has become popular in many high school marching bands, I wanted to understand the significance of this flag waving art from the perspective of the Italians. When I researched this I learned that Italian flag games were very popular in medieval times. This particular Italian group that performed at the Honolulu Festival has won over 30 titles of Italian Championships in the ancient flag game.
Another group I was interested in were the Koreans representing Jeju Island. This group was made up of 10 members from Jeju National University and their purpose was to inform people of the culture of Jeju women divers called, Haenyeo. In the beginning, diving was only a profession for men. By the 18th century, female divers outnumbered male divers. This shift to female diving popularity came as a result of a heavy tax on male diver harvests and a growing number of men dying at sea. This was a very interesting thing that happened because women nearly replaced men as the primary breadwinner. In Jeju, gender roles started to switch were men would be in charge if the kids and house hold, and women would bring home the money; this was not the same case on mainland Korea. It was very interesting to learn about the history of society on Jeju Island because it is easy to assume all parts of a country are generally the same, but things are not actually that way. The USA is very different from state to state and it is important to recognize that all states are unique and special in their own way. Although I have been to South Korea before, I did not have the opportunity to go to Jeju Island. The next time I go to South Korea I will make it a point to travel Jeju and experience a new part of Korea.
It was a great experience for me to attend the Honolulu Festival because I unexpectedly learned new things about various cultures. What I thought would have been a very Japanese focused event, turned out to enlighten me on more cultures than I had originally thought. It was nice to learn more about the culture and history of Medieval Italy and the women divers of Jeju Island in Korea.
Taiwanese Performers
South Korean Performers from Jeju Island
Italian Flag Performers
